Southwyck House TRA minutes of AGM – Nov 2010

The Annual General Meeting of the Southwyck House TRA was held at the Community Centre on the 4th November.

Those attending heard the Chairman’s Report (from outgoing chairman Simon Barry), and topics covered included concierge charges, service charges, anti social behaviour around the block and issues related to recycling and parking.

Meeting minutes

1. Welcome & Apologies
Simon Barry opened the meeting at 18:45 and welcomed everyone to the
Annual General Meeting.

Apologies from Cllr Donatus Anyanwu.

2. Chairman’s Report
Simon reported that there had been few meetings in recent months, but
hoped that things will start moving again. It was noted that there was a
massive improvement on the estate. There has been a series of meeting with
councillors, council officers, crime prevention and Community Safety. Simon
also reported on the parking enforcement on southwyck House, at present the
enforcement is not active but it is hoped that this can be looked at.

3. Concierge Services
Chris Adamson reported on the responses received about the future of the
concierge services in Southwyck House. Residents pay £9.04 per week and
leaseholders pay approx £23 per week. The amount of income recovered
does not cover the cost of the services by a long way and leaseholders are
being charged a very large amount for this service.

The questionnaire showed that 17 said the concierge services is effective 7
said not very effective, 4 said not at all 1 doesn’t know.

In terms of the concierge giving access, taking messages 15 said very 8 said
not very effective.

The returned questionnaire showed that 21 residents would not be prepared
to pay more for this service, 6 said they would pay more.

10 said if the service was reduce it would affect there security. 5 said not very
and a further 9 said not at all

Chris spoke of other area’s where the concierge service had been reduced
and operated by using one concierge office rather than two. This was not
introduced at Southwyck due to all the criminal activities; however Chris
advised that a meeting will be set with Community Safety and the Police. He
also said no decision will be made about the concierge until the next financial
year

4. Service Charges
Simon Barry is currently in talks with Cllr Heywood and Chris Adamson and
other council officials about the recent rises in service charges at Southwyck
House. Simon will continue to attend the leaseholders meetings and
announced that he will be writing to all 34 leaseholders in Southwyck shortly.

5. Anti-Social Behaviour and Safer Neighbourhoods
Since the problems with anti-social behaviour the TRA has worked with local
councillors, community safety and the Coldharbour Safer Neighbourhood
team to address the problem and put measures into place to prevent it
reoccurring.
It is hoped that some changes will take place around the estate, i.e area
fenced off to stop Anti Social Behaviour.

6. Use of the Meeting Room
Southwyck Residents Hall has recently been redecorated using a grant from
the ward purse; however there is an outstanding repair to the toilets. This
needs to be followed up asap. Once this is done the residents can soon
start using the hall for activities that involve and benefits southwyck house
residents. The use of the hall will be strictly controlled by the conditions of use
under which the council allow us to use it and should not be used after 9pm.

7. Election of new officers
Simon explained that the purpose of the meeting is to elect a new committee,
and explained the roll of the following:-

Q. Residents would like to know how often external decorations should be
carried out, tenants say the window seals are broken as well as the paint
peeling away. –A. Chris & Audrey to feed back to residents

Q. Complaint that external cleaning is not being carried out properly.A. Audrey will monitor this. Tenants can also contact the concierge office who
will pass this to Audrey OR residents can contact Audrey Basyouni directly on
020 7926 5373 or 07908220859. Audrey also reminded residents that she is
willing to provide a Saturday Estate Walkabout. Residents will be informed in
due course.

Mike S kindly offered to design a website for the TRA. The purpose
for this website is for residents to obtain and access contact information and
also communicate between residents (i.e) feed back to committee members.

Q. Complaint that rubbish is being left on the balcony causing unpleasant
smells, also concerns that the bin chamber that are situated on the landings
do not have any ventilation. Resident would like to know if the bins can be
moved down stairs.A. Audrey to contact refuse collection services to visit and assess the
situation.

Q. Residents claim that the CCTV does not work properly, Reports of a
vehicle being vandalised. No footage on the CCTVA. Chris explained that it was not possible for cameras to capture all part of
the block and that more investment is required

Q. Complaints that the current material used to surface the landing is a
nuisance, as each time a bike etc runs over this area the sound vibrates and
affects the residents below.A. Chris & Audrey to look into this

Next Committee Meeting Thursday 18th November 2010
Southwyck Community Hall
Time 6:30pm

A brief history of Southwyck House

Known locally as the 'Barrier Block,' Southwyck House was built in the early 1980s, with its stark façade created as a result of a proposed motorway scheme above Coldharbour Lane.

The Barrier Block was designed to protect the Somerleyton Estate from the inevitable pollution and traffic noise, which explains its tiny windows and unusual 'zig-zag' design - this was intended to 'bounce' the sound back to the ground.

Land was compulsorily purchased for the motorway but when the road project was finally abandoned the block was already under construction, and thus Brixton ended up with the 'Barrier Block'.